Rise in number of children sent to children's homes outside their local area

18 September 2017

The number of children being sent to live in children’s homes outside their borough has risen dramatically, according to Government figures, raising concerns over their safety.

Department for Education statistics show that there was a 78 per cent increase nationally in children placed in children’s homes away from their borough, up from 2,250 on 31 March 2012 to 4,020 on 31 March 2016.

The figures also show that the number of incidents of children going missing from children’s homes has risen from 28,570 in 2015 to 43,000 in England in 2016.

The total number of looked-after children increased from 67,050 (31 March 2012) to 70,440 (31 March 2016). During the same period the number of children placed in children’s homes increased from 5,930 to 7,600.

The figures were obtained in a parliamentary answer to Ann Coffey, chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Missing Children and Adults, who said that children are more likely to go missing if they are placed away from their local area.

Ms Coffey, the Labour MP for Stockport, said, ‘These latest figures from the Department for Education are bitterly disappointing because the Government pledged to reduce out of borough placements four years ago.

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